Cupel tool



Jan. 21, 1941. L.. HERBERT CUPEL TOOL Filed Jan. SO, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,JW@@@QGGOOG INVENTOR BY C L wf/v r l. l/f/ef/fr VKRQA# ATTO R N E Y Patented Jan. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE American Smelting and Refining Company,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 30, 1940, Serial No. 316,304

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a` tool for handling a plurality of articles and is particularly applicable to a tool for charging a bank of cupels into a muille and subsequently depositing a metallic button charge in each cupel.

In certain assaying operations, such as for gold and silver assaying, it is desirable to deposit a large number of cupels in a mule at the same time. The muilie may, for example, contain a bank of 100 or more cupels. These cupels must be first inserted in the mufsle and brought to temperature, after which it is necessary to deposit in each cupel the sample button to be assayed. The task of dropping such buttons into the cupels manually is disagreeable from `the operators standpoint due to the intense heat of .the mule and it is also a possible cause of inaccuracy in the assaying due to the physical inability of an operator to deposit all of the buttons `at ythe same time. Hence, the buttonsare not all subjected to identical operating conditions and there is also a possibility that certain of the buttons may be improperly deposited or may be deposited in the wrong cupels. It is, accordingly, an object of the presenty invention to provide a tool for depositing the entire bank of cupels in the muflie and .then depositing the metallic buttons in the cupels simultaneously so that they are all subjected to the same operating conditions.

Another object is to provide a tool of the above type which is capable of various uses.

Another object is to `provide a tool of the type above specified which is so constructed and arranged that the possibility of confusion or of i type above specified.

drawings, in which a specic embodiment lthereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a top plan View of the tool in position to receive the cupels; i

Fig; 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing the cupels in position with the tray inserted in position to engage and support the cupel-s when` the tool is inverted;

Fig. 2a is a partial section taken on the line ila-2a of Fig. 2 showing details of construction of the rack;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing the tool in a mufe in position for depositing the cupels, with the tray partly withdrawn for dropping the cupels onto the muflle hearth.

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the tool tilted for removal from the mullle after the cupels have been deposited on the hearth;

Fig. 5 is a .top plan view of the tool in position to receive the metallic but-tons;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal` section showing the tool in the mufle in position to charge the buttons into the cupels, with the tray partly withdrawn for releasing the buttons; and

Fig. '7 is a partial `section taken on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the invention is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as embodied in a tool comprising a rack I8 having a pair of side runners II adapted to position the rack in the muflie for the purpose to be described and having a front wall I2 and a rear wall I3 adapted respectively to engage the sides of the bank of cupels for holding the same in position. A rod I4 is attached by suitable means, such as welding, to the rear wall I3 of the frame IIJ and is pro vided with a handle l5 by which the tool may be manipulated.

A perforated button guide plate 2t is positioned in the frame I Il to support the cupels as in Figs. 1 and `2. The guide plate 2B is provided with a plurality of apertures 2| which are disposed to register with the respective cupels when the latter have been deposited in the muffle. These apertures 2l `serve to locateand position the metallic buttons which are to be charged into the various cupels.

A sliding tray 25 is provided, which is mounted on a sleeve 26 having an actuating handle 21. The sleeve 26 is adapted to slide axially of the rod I4 so as to position the tray 25 over the cupels as in Fig. 2 and may be rotated about the rod I4 so as to position the tray 25 beneath the perforated guide plate 20 for forming a support for the buttons as shown in Fig. 6. The frame Il) is formed with side flanges 30 forming, with the plate 2t, channels in which the tray 25 is adapted to slide when in the latter position. The tray 25 may have a bevelled front edge 28 to facilitate the insertion thereof under the cupels as will be described.

The runners Il are extended rearwardly to form positioning members 3| having shoulders 32 adapted to engage the side Walls 33 of a muiile 31 to form a stop for the tool as shown in Fig. 3. Side bosses 34 may be formed on the runners H to slide Within the side Walls 35 and position the tool.

In the operation of the above described tool, the tool is rst held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the tray 25 Withdrawn. In this position 'the'cupel-s 35 are inserted bottom side up on the perforated plate 20. After the cupels have been thus positioned, the tray 25 is advanced axially by means of the handle 27 into position over the up-turned bottoms of .the cupels 35, as shown in Fig. 2.

The tool is then inverted into the position shown in Fig. 3 and is inserted on the hearth 36 of a muie 3l until the shoulders 32 engage the Walls 33. The tray 25 is then Withdrawn to release the cupels 35 and to permit the same to drop onto the hearth. The rear Wall I3 of the frame I0 holds the cupels in position during the Withdrawal of the tray.

A-.fter the cupels have thus been deposited on the hearth, the tool is tipped up as shown in Fig. 4 to disengage the front Wall I2 of the frame from the cupels, after Which it is readily Withdrawn from the muflle.

For charging the samples, the frame `Il is reinverted to its original position, shown in Figs. 1 .and 2 and the sleeve 26 is rotated about the rod I4 so as to position'the tray 25 beneath the perforarted plate 20 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The tray is then positioned beneath said perforated plate on the nan-ges 30 and forms a sup-port for the metallic buttons 40 which are placed in the respective apertures 2| as shown in Fig. 5.

With the buttons in position, the tool is again inserted in the mufe resting upon the runners H which are Iof suicient width to elevate the frame I0 and tray 25 above the tops of the cupels. After the tool h-as'thus been position-ed With the shoulders 32 engaging the Walls 33 as before, the tray 25 is Withdrawn as indicated in Fig. 6 to release the buttons 40 and to permit the sam-e to fall into the respective cupels. After the buttons have thus been charged, the tool is removed from the furnace and :the cupelling op eration proceeds.

When the lcupels are to be removed from the furnace the frame is again inverted and brought into position over the vcupels la-s indicated in Figs. 3 and 4 with the tray 25 retracted. The tray 25 is then advanced beneath the cupels by a suitable actuation of the handle 21, the front Wall lf2 of the frame serving to hold the cupels in position, While the tray is thus being inserted. After the tray has been properly positioned, the tool is removed from the furnace With the various cupels supported on the tray.

It Will be noted that in the above described tool the cupels are all inserted into the furnace or removed therefrom in a single operation and that the metallic button-s are charged simultaneously. Consequently, all of the buttons are subjected to identical cupell-ing conditions. Furthermore, the time required for charging and removing the cupels and buttons is greatly reduced over that which would be required for charging the separate elements individually.

lit is to be understood that the tool is not restricted to the specific purpose above described, but is capable oi various other uses where it is desirable Ito handle a plurality of elements and to position other elements in registration therewith. Various changes and Inodicatifons may be made in the details of construction and mode of operation, as Will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is not restricted to the embodiment disclosed herein, but is only to be limited in accordance with the following claims.

What is claimed ist l. A tool for charging cupels into a muie comprising a frame, a plate in said frame adapted to support said cupels for charging purposes, said plate having perforations registering With the respective cupels, a tray mounted to slide over said cupels for holding the sam-e in position on said plate and to be withdrawn for releasing said ycupels and permitting the same -to drop onto a supporting surface when the tool is inserted in the mufe in inverted position, means positioning said tray beneath said perforated plate to form a support for material to be charged into said cupels, said tray being mounted to be slidably Withdrawn from said last position for releasing said material and permitting the same to drop into the respective cupels. Y

2. A Jtool for charging cupels into a muffle comprising a frame, a Iplate in said frame adapted to support said cupels for charging purposes, said plate having perforations registering with the respective cupels, a tray mounted to slide over said cupels for holding the same in position on said plate and to be withdrawn for releasing said cupels and permitting the same to drop onto a supporting surface when 'the tool is inserted in the muffle in inverted position, means positioning said vtray beneath saidl perforated plate to for-m a support for samples to be charged into said cupels, said tray being mounted to be sli-dably Withdrawn from said last position for releasing said material fand permitting the same to drop into the respective cupels, said frame having supporting runners adapted to hold the sam-e above the tops of said cupels during said last operation.

3. A cupel tool comprising a frame having a perforated supporting plate therein, a rod extending from said frame to provide a handle, a sleeve carried on said rod for axial and rotary movement, and a tray mounted on said sleeve to be positioned above or below said perforated plate by rotation of said sleeve and to be inserted or retracted from registration with said frame by axial movement of said sleeve.

l. A cupel tool comprising a frame having a perforated supporting plate therein, a rod extending from said frame to provide a handle, a sleeve carried on said rod for axial and rotary movement, and a tray mounted on said sleeve to be positioned above or below said perforated plate by rotation of said sleeve and to be inserted or retracted from registration with said frame by axial movement of said sleeve,v said sleeve and said rod having handles associated therewith to facilitate the manual manipulation of said tool. Y

5. A tool for charging cupels into a muffle comprising a frame, a plate in said frame adapted to support said cupels for charging purposes, said plate having perforations registering with the respective cupels, a tray mounted to slide over said cupels for holding the same in position on said plate and to be Withdrawn for releasing said cupels and permitting the same to drop onto a supporting surface when the tool, is inserted in the muie in inverted position, means positioning said tray beneath said perforated plate to form a support for samples to be charged into said cupels, said tray being mounted to be slidably Withdrawn from said last position for releasing said material and permitting the same to drop into the respective cupels, and means carried by said frame to position the same in said mufle.

6. A tool for charging cupels into a mule comprising a frame, a plate in said frame adapted to support said cupels for charging purposes, said plate having perforations registering with the respective cupels, a tray mounted to slide oversaid cupels for holding the same in position on said plate and to be Withdrawn for releasing said cupels and permitting the same to drop onto a supporting surface when the tool is inserted in the muiile in inverted position, means positioning said tray beneath said perforated plate to form a support for samples to be charged into said cupels, said tray being mounted to be slidably Withdrawn from said last position for releasing said material and permitting the same to drop into the respective cupels, and stop means carried by said frame to position the same in said muflle, whereby the alignment of the samples with the cupels for l charging purposes is facilitated.

and to pick up the cupels by sliding action of said tray, and means for inserting and retracting the tray in the tool on the opposite side of said perforated plate for charging samples to the cupels.

CLEMENT L. HERBERT. 

